Selia&Geric: In Love with Anyone but Each Other
by KatyGrace
Summary: Unseen scene in the book. Selia is trying to get the prince to fall in love with her. It isn't working. Geric has his mind on another particular someone. Rated T for minor intimacy later. Short and to the point fan fiction! Please R&R. :
1. The Lies of Princess Anidori

Hi! If you are reading this you may be one of my readers of the Many Ties of Percy and Annabeth. If you are, I'd like to tell you I will update ASAP, just not this weekend, I have a huge final coming up and I need 2 study. :)

This is a Goose Girl by Shannon Hale fanfic. If you haven't read it, you may still like this, but if you have, you'll understand it best. So happy reading!

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The royal guards eyed the young woman as she dismissively ordered them to open the palace gates. They creaked open, and she lifted the hem of her dress and continued up the newly furbished path.

The echo of footsteps sounded as the Kildrenean girl entered the castle, her heels clicking on the tile and her yellow hair trailing behind her.

One of the palace hands curtsied deeply as she walked on the velvety carpet through the grand hall. "Good evening, Princess Anidori-Kiladra. Have yourself a nice outing?"

In return she gave him her signature sickly-sweet smile and replied, "Ah yes, but I must hurry now, the prince is awaiting me." She carried on, and the servant bowed deeply again.

The impostor strolled up to her lacey pink bedroom, and entered the luxurious bathroom she had been using for the past months. The exotic bath soaps and fluffy towels on the bench beside her shower, the colorful moisturizers her serving women had encouraged her to lather on, and the gleaming tiles, bathtub, and sink looked back at her from the interior.

Approaching the mirror, she smiled haughtily at herself, how clever she was, to devise such a plot, to get the despicable "Crown Princess" out of the picture, to grant herself such lush living conditions and power, to trick the prince into a romance while really courting her lovely Ungolad… she ought to receive a prize for it all.

Knowing that she must look top-notch before consulting the prince, Selia checked her gown; adjusting the frilly lavender garment with deft fingers. She then braided her hair into a long golden plait, tying it with a plum-colored ribbon. She looked into her reflection and smiled her winning smile, and freshly applied lipstick to her lips, smoothing them as she went along. Selia pinched her cheeks to give them a fuller, pinker look, and exited the bathroom, satisfied with her appearance.

She then walked through the hall to the prince's room, were he was staring, point-blankly, out the window. Selia knocked politely and then folded her arms curtly across her chest. Geric opened the door sullenly and she greeted him with a bright smile.

"Prince!" She gave him peck on the cheek, but he simply raised his eyebrows. She ignored it."How wonderful to see you. I have been out, visiting a royal relative of yours-"

"-my uncle, a nobleman by the name of Hirald-"

"-yes, him, quite a charming man your uncle is." She smiled again and gestured towards the prince's broad sofa. "Please sit down, my Geric."

He cringed at her casual way of addressing him, but she seemed so attached to him that he couldn't possibly refuse her company, even if he was hugely tempted to.

He sat down beside her, and Selia extended her arm to his shoulder. Geric felt like shuddering.

"My dear, how has your day been?" her voice was like butter, smooth and slick, sliding easily across her tongue. Though meant to be soothing, the voice irritated Geric. This princess seemed so in love with him already, apparently, and her refused to believe it. She was pretty, of course, and desirable to many, but Geric simply didn't feel any chemistry between them. He dreaded the moments of bondage their future marriage would bring. Besides, he was afraid he had already fallen in love with someone else…

"Prince? Geric, honey?" He became aware that he was staring into space. For a moment her eyes betrayed impatience and irritation, but quickly the girl soothed herself and stroked his hair.

"Is something the matter? You seem downcast, Your Highness." She kissed the top of his head, and he mustered up a weak smile, while thinking, _why is this girl trying so hard? It is obvious she doesn't really love me._

"I am fine, Isi, I-I-I mean, Princess," he couldn't catch himself in time, and stared at his lap in horror. Had he just called her _Isi?_

She stood up in a furious air. "What did you just call me?"

"Er… I-I called you Isilee, after your grandmother," he smiled sheepishly, but she narrowed her eyes. "Such a pretty name Isi-Isilee is, right? Not as pretty as Anidori-Kiladra, though, of-of course."

The tension eased and Selia sat back down, though now confused. "Oh. Well, why call me Isi? My name is long enough, why say all of it?" She laughed a breathy, lovely laugh to which he attempted to match with a nervous smile.

"So true, yes, ha…"

-To be continued!

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Thanks for reading and please comment! Thanks and bye! :)


	2. The Lies of Princess Anidori Revised

The royal guards eyed the young woman as she dismissively ordered them to open the palace gates. They creaked open, and she lifted the hem of her dress and continued up the furbished path.

The echo of footsteps sounded as the Kildrenean girl entered the castle, her heels clicking on the tiles with her yellow hair trailing behind her.

One of the palace hands curtsied deeply as she walked on the velvety carpet through the grand hall. "Good evening, Princess Anidori-Kiladra. Have yourself a nice outing?"

In return she gave him her signature sickly-sweet smile and replied, "Ah yes, but I must hurry now, the prince is awaiting me." She carried on, and the servant bowed deeply again.

The impostor strolled up to her pink, laced bedroom, and entered the luxurious bathroom she had been using for the past months. The exotic bath soaps and fluffy towels on the bench beside her shower, the fragrant moisturizers her serving women had encouraged her to lather on, and the gleaming tiles, bathtub, and sink looked back at her from the interior.

Approaching the mirror, she smiled haughtily at herself, how clever she was, to devise such a plot, to get the despicable _Crown Princess _out of the picture, to grant herself such lush living conditions and power, to trick the prince into a romance while really courting her lovely Ungolad… she ought to receive a prize for it all.

Knowing that she must look top-notch before consulting the prince, Selia checked her gown; adjusting the frilly lavender garment with deft fingers. She then braided her hair into a long golden plait, tying it with a plum-colored ribbon. She looked into her reflection and smiled her winning smile, pinching her cheeks to give them a pinker look, and exited the bathroom, satisfied with her appearance.

The princess walked through the grandeur of the upstairs corridor to the prince's room, were he was staring, point-blankly, out the window. Princess Anidori knocked politely and then folded her arms curtly across her chest. Geric opened the door sullenly with his dark hair pulled back as custom, and she greeted him with a bright smile. His broad shoulders were slumped, but the princess failed to take notice.

"Prince!" She gave him peck on the cheek, but he simply raised his eyebrows. She ignored it. "How wonderful to see you. I have been out, visiting a royal relative of yours-"

"-my uncle, a nobleman by the name of Hirald-"

"-yes, him, quite a charming man your uncle is." She smiled again and gestured towards the prince's sofa, where she had recently ordered a dozen pink cushions. "Please sit down, my Geric."

He cringed at her casual way of addressing him, but she seemed so… _attached_ to him that he couldn't possibly refuse her company, even if he was hugely tempted to. Something about this princess's mannerisms bothered him.

He sat down beside her, and Anidori extended her arm to rest on his shoulder. Geric felt like shuddering.

"My dear, how has your day fared?" her voice was like butter, smooth and slick, sliding easily across her tongue. Though meant to be soothing, the voice now irritated Geric. This princess seemed so in love with him already, apparently, and he refused to believe it. The real motive of her affection could well possibly be for him to grant her anything she wished after they were wed.

Princess Anidori, or Ani, as she insisted on being called (though he never complied anymore), was pretty of course, and desirable to many, but Geric simply didn't feel any chemistry between them. He dreaded the moments of bondage their future marriage would bring. Besides, he was afraid he had already fallen in love with someone else…

"Prince? Geric, honey?" He became aware that he was staring into space. For a moment her eyes betrayed impatience and irritation, but quickly the girl soothed herself and stroked his hair.

"Is something the matter? You seem downcast, Your Highness." She kissed the top of his head, and he mustered up a weak smile, while thinking, _why is this girl trying so hard? It is obvious she doesn't really love me._

"I am fine, Isi, I-I-I mean, Princess," he stammered, not catching himself in time, and then stared at his lap in horror. Had he just called her _Isi?_

She stood up in a furious air. "What did you just call me?"

"Er… I-I called you Isilee, after your grandmother," he smiled sheepishly, but she narrowed her eyes. "Such a pretty name Isi-Isilee is, right? Not as pretty as Anidori-Kiladra, though, of-of course."

The tension eased and Selia sat back down, though now confused. "Oh. Well, why call me Isi? My name is long enough, why bother to say all of it?" She laughed a breathy, lovely laugh to which he attempted to match with a nervous smile.

"Well, a princess should have a long name, as she should live a long life."

He said it with glassy eyes, thinking sadly of the true Isi. Her cute dotted headscarf, friendly green eyes, and kind laugh occupied his thoughts, leaving warmth inside his chest but also a pang in his heart.

_They could never be together_.

Geric was jarred back to life as the princess giggled in her girly fashion.

"Oh, my dear, you always say the kindest things!"

Leaning sleepily on the sofa, he stared at her in awe and felt a sort of horrified admiration. She was seemingly so sweet. But underneath her thrashed a girl hungry for power and royal treatment.

This girl had succeeded in impressing him throughout the time she had been in the place. She had flattered him, spoke to him in sugarcoated tones, and had held his heart in a chokehold.

But it had all changed when he met Isi.

She was so real. Bold enough to lecture him humorously on breaking horses, talented at retelling her many favorite tales, playfully teasing him as he forgot his manners on their noon picnics, smiling at the simplest things like the small breezes that tickled their cheeks as they talked during their many get-togethers in the past month.

Isi had made him realize something odd about Princess Anidori.

How she let slip an aggravated expression when he refused one of her simple demands. How she sometimes betrayed the strain in her many sweet-smiles directed towards him. How her lovely laugh sometimes seemed too forced for the occasion. How she had never once had a true conversation with him that lacked her formalities. Isi's honest-to-good times with him made him wary of the princess's advances.

Princess Anidori was, no doubt, very good at the game she played. Her smooth words had a sort of instant and magical effect on everyone, not just himself. She could coax the servants to retrieve her gowns, massage her arms, scrub her toes; to cater to her every whim no matter how preposterous. She was often laughing heartily with the king at suppertime, as she had quickly gained his trust and adoration as well.

And all through practice. She had gone to great lengths to gain his crush so easily. Hours of leisure at the palace garden, balconies, and ballrooms had she reached into his heart. But, the Princess had lost grasp of it after his epiphany and careful observations after meeting Isi. Anidori was, simply put, a _fake. _Into the royal lifestyle, but not Geric.

The worried princess, with her light hair clouding her face, then shook him awake.

"My Prince! You poor thing, you must've not gotten enough sleep last night! Or you've become ill. Geric, please speak to me!"

He lazily fluttered his eyelids open and rubbed an eye tiredly, finding himself prostrate on the floor. He must have rolled off the couch while dozing.

"It is alright, Ani. I'm just drowsy from the heavy food I ate before." He said, while returning to the sofa.

"All right then, love."

Anidori then scooted closer to him and tickled his chin. He simply shut his eyes in hopes she would understand the message that he was too tired to laugh. He then abandoned his simple plan of ignoring her, instead devising a couple of compliments to rock her boat.

_Two can play at this game._

"I'm so heartbroken…" he started, flitting his eyes open for a moment and shutting them again. He proceeded to curling up on the couch. She put her hand on his forehead in worry and gasped quite predictably.

"…that I am too drowsy to lift my eyes." In reality, he was simply lethargic. "My exhaustion is preventing me from seeing your beautiful face and fair hair." He touched her nose, eyes still closed, while hardly concealing a sly smile.

She pushed his eyes open and stifled giggles, embracing the bored young king. Geric clumsily pet Anidori's shoulder as she buried her face in his neck. "Oh, you are too good to me!"

_I most certainly am_, he thought with spite. _Falsely sweet, my princess is._

A faint shout from the young prince was abruptly then heard, and Geric broke away from her, standing up.

"What is it, brother?" Geric yelled back and brushed off his trousers, relieved to have escaped from the princess's clutches.

The young boy's reply was too distant to hear. Geric rushed out the door, leaving Anidori with her hand over her mouth in fright.

-The End? Or to be continued?


End file.
